Before Yoriichi Tsugikuni, humanity's methods for dealing with demons were primitive and desperate. They could only hide, run, and pray for the sun to rise. The arrival of the Ubuyashiki family and the Demon Slayer Corps changed everything. With the creation of the Nichirin Sword, even an ordinary swordsman could finally harm a demon.
But demons still possessed monstrous strength and speed, and the Demon Slayer Corps suffered heavy losses in every battle. The one who truly turned the tide was Yoriichi Tsugikuni. His creation of Breathing Styles and his innate Demon Slayer Mark elevated the Corps' power to a whole new level. The other Breathing Styles, all derived from his original Sun Breathing, branched out and became the foundation of the Corps' legacy.
"But," Kagaya Ubuyashiki continued, his voice echoing with a quiet sorrow, "what we inherited from him were only incomplete pieces of his true power."
The Hashira listened, their faces grim.
"Of all the Breathing Styles, only Yoriichi's Sun Breathing, with its thirteen forms, was ever truly complete. The same is true for the Demon Slayer Mark. Besides Yoriichi, every other swordsman who awakened the Mark died before they reached the age of twenty-five. It was this curse that drove his own brother, Kokushibo, to become a demon. He could not accept being forever weaker than his younger brother, nor could he accept such an early death."
Kagaya paused, letting the weight of his words settle in the room.
"The Sun Breathing technique has been lost to us," he said, "but you have all awakened the Mark. In these dark times, that is the best news we could hope for. However, there is something else you must know."
His voice grew solemn, and the Hashira tensed, their expressions turning serious.
"The truth is, our family has been able to lead the Demon Slayer Corps for centuries, despite the curse that shortens our lives, for one reason. We have not been fighting this war alone. Behind the Ubuyashiki family, there has always been another power supporting us: The Clan of Shrine Maidens."
The name hung in the air, simple yet heavy with meaning.
"My wife, Amane, is a member of this clan. Their bloodline has the power to suppress Muzan Kibutsuji's curse. It is only because of her and her ancestors that my family suffers from a shortened lifespan, rather than being completely wiped out by the demon's curse. But recently, during the train incident, a powerful member of the Shrine Maiden clan confronted Muzan directly."
He took a slow, deliberate breath. "According to our latest intelligence, that shrine maiden has fallen."
A wave of shock and horror passed through the Hashira. If even a powerful warrior from this hidden clan couldn't defeat Muzan Kibutsuji, what hope did they have?
"But there is good news," Kagaya said, a flicker of strategic light in his eyes. "Her sacrifice will not be in vain. The Clan of Shrine Maidens will now surely send all of their elite warriors to join the fight. This is our greatest opportunity."
Just as he finished speaking, his wife Amane looked up, having just received a new piece of information. The air grew still.
"Everyone," Kagaya announced, his voice low and urgent. "A new mission has arrived. The Japanese Imperial Family's Crown Prince and several of his brothers have mysteriously disappeared. According to the Imperial Onmyoji, they are most likely being held somewhere in the Yoshiwara Entertainment District."
He looked at the six Hashira before him. "The Imperial Family has issued a decree. If the Demon Slayer Corps can find the Crown Prince, all past conflicts between us will be forgiven."
In an instant, all six Hashira stood. "We will not fail!"
Meanwhile, in the Infinity Castle, Tsukihiko felt a powerful strength flowing through him. A satisfied smile spread across his face. "Only now," he whispered, "do I truly possess the complete power of Muzan Kibutsuji."
Since his battle with Yoriichi Tsugikuni centuries ago, Muzan's body had never fully healed. His incredible regeneration could fix any surface wound, but the deep, cellular damage left by the Sun Breathing swordsman remained. Phantom pains had tormented him for hundreds of years, a constant reminder of his defeat.
When Tsukihiko merged with this body, he inherited that pain. But unlike the original Muzan, Tsukihiko had not experienced the humiliation of that battle. After absorbing the unique blood of the Shrine Maiden, he had successfully integrated three bloodlines: human, demon, and maiden. The phantom pains that had plagued Muzan for centuries vanished in an instant.
"But," he mused, "if the High Priest of the Shrine Maiden clan has personally acted, their methods for fighting me must be more than a simple curse." They had a hand in his creation; it was logical they would have a way to destroy him.
"But before that," he said with a long, slow breath, "the Ubuyashiki family and the Demon Slayer Corps no longer have a reason to exist. Let the so-called Yoshiwara Entertainment District become their final graveyard."
At that same moment, the Yoshiwara Entertainment District was coming alive. As the most prosperous red-light district in Japan, it was a sea of countless brothels and pleasure houses. As night fell, the streets glowed brightly with lanterns, casting a brilliant light on a world of fleeting dreams and expensive pleasures.
This was a place for the wealthy and powerful. Conversations were held by rich merchants and high-ranking officials; commoners could not afford to even walk these streets. To spend money here was a display of power. But recently, a dark undercurrent had begun to flow through the district. Powerful company owners and magnates of the Taisho era had been disappearing without a trace, along with their families. The enormous wealth they controlled had secretly flowed into Tsukihiko's hands.
Deep beneath the glittering surface of Yoshiwara, one thousand meters underground, was a different world. In a dark, damp cavern filled with countless intertwined skeletons, a single figure sat cross-legged. His body was covered in tattoos, and he wore only a short coat and trousers.
It was Akaza, Upper Rank Three of the Twelve Kizuki.
His eyes were closed tightly, his mind flashing with countless scenes of battle, yet his body was as still as stone. He was waiting, perfectly calm, for the ultimate battle that he knew was about to begin.
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